Combat Inftantrymen's Association » Combat Infantrymen’s Association

37- Joint meeting at the DROP ZONE Cafe and upcoming events for the CIB Assoc.

Fred — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 16:27:04 +0000

In this episode of the H21 Southern Branch, Austin, Texas Chapter of the Combat Infantrymen’s Association, we deliver to you the summary of the Joint meeting of the CIB chapter with the 82nd Airborne Division Association Alamo Chapter in San Antonio, Texas, on 24 October 2009, at the Drop Zone Cafe.

As you will hear in the audio episode, the Drop Zone Cafe is really a historical landmark in San Antonio, just on the short path to the entrance of Fort Sam Houston, Texas. It has memorabilia and photos of Medal of Honor Winners Benavides and Rocco, as well as photos on the eaves and walls of the buildings within of past-and-present PARATROOPERS since World War II (yes, Fred Castaneda had his color version of this photo on the eave of the ceiling in the restaurant building:

One other thing to note is that we had welcomed our newest member, Dave, who received his CIB in Vietnam with the 101st Airborne Division. The officers Bobby Briscoe, John Torres and Tony Martinez, made him feel at home. Also, Duane Williams and Fred Castaneda joined in, as well.

In addition, we confirmed the upcoming membership of Don Bailey, who was interviewed in an earlier episode here at this podcast site. If you may remember, Don earned his CIB in the Battle for Grenada in Operation Urgent Fury, when he was an infantryman in the 82nd Airborne Division.

We had both organizations conduct their monthly meetings there. You can get all the details of the happenings and future events scheduled for:

- 4 November 2009: Bobby Briscoe and team going to Fort Hood, Texas, with a delegation for recruitment of in-service CIB award winners and the Wounded Warrior Program;

- 7 November 2009: Veterans’ Day Parade in San Antonio, Texas;

- 11 November 2009: Veterans’ Day Parade and Ceremony in Austin, Texas;

- 12 December 2009: CIB members are invited to the home of John Peed for a joint meeting and Christmas party gathering, with donations of toys, etc., for the San Antonio group of the Battered Women and Children’s Organization.

Also, during the final part of this episode, we once again honor Darrell G. Harris, member of both the CIB Association and the 82nd Airborne Division. Not only was D.G. Harris one of the very first paratroopers in World War II who made the very FIRST airborne combat jump with the 82nd Airborne, but he was one of the very FIRST who earned the COMBAT INFANTRYMAN’S BADGE in 1943 for his participation in Operation Husky in Sicily. (Note: the CIB was first created and later issues in 1943 and 1944).

Darrell had everyone in the meeting hypnotized and in awe as he recounted from memory his experiences during Operation Market-Garden (the invasion of Holland in Septermber, 1944)–especially when he participated in capturing the Grave River Bridge and the Nijmegen Bridge over the Waal River. Yes, this is the famous and dangerous suicide crossing during daylight that was recounted in the movie, A Bridge Too Far (where actor Robert Redford played Julian Cook, the Batallion Commander). And, yes, Darrell did row across the river under tremendous fire from the enemy, and he later helped to disengage and compromise the demolitions on the bridge to keep it intact for the later invasion of Germany. He explains this in his biography version of his book, Casablanca to VE-Day: A Paratrooper’s Memoirs.

D.G. Harris is currently the Secretary-Treasurer of the 82nd Airborne Division Association, San Antonio’s Alamo Chapter.

The feeling of brotherhood with all the comrades was wonderful and eventful. We encourage the members to attend these joint meetings.

We will bring you the details of the November activities and further meetings of the Chapter and its members in the next podcast episode.

34- Upcoming Meetings, Vietnam War Movies and the National Convention

Fred — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 22:46:19 +0000

In this episode of the H21 Southern Branch, Austin Chapter of the Combat Infantrymen’s Association, we summarize the topics discussed at the chapter meeting on Saturday, 8 August 2009.

Among the topics discussed were:

1. Upcoming meetings –both Chapter meetings, as well as the Joint meetings with the 82nd Airborne Division Association in San Antonio.

2. The database of the membership;

3. Upcoming Movies now in pre-production: Jungle Warriors and The Alvarez Vietnam Story.

4. The upcoming Combat Infantrymen’s Association National Convention in Branson, Missouri.

As you will hear in this audio episode, the next meeting will be held on Saturday, 12 September 2009, at the VFW Post 8787 (located on VFW Road, just off the access road Northbound on Interstate 35, just north of the Braker Lane exit).

Please contact Tony Martinez, the Finance Officer, to verify your information for the membership database that we wish to deliver to the group by Saturday, 12 Sept 2009.

And lastly, we will continue with interviews of other CIB recipients — especially from Korea, Afghanistan and Iraq. We will also try to have another World War II veteran, as well.

Stay tuned and see which veteran will be sharing his experiences and perspectives about the CIB in the near future.

30- Author Joe Galloway and the CIB at the Vietnam War Museum

Fred — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 13:30:07 +0000

Over 58,260 names are engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. However, they are NOT just in Washington, D.C. or in the Moving and travelling WALLS that go from location-to-location in the US. Those names rest PERMANENTLY in an exact replica of the original Vietnam Veterans Memorial WALL found in Washington, D.C.

This replica is located in Mineral Wells, Texas, at the National Vietnam War Musuem gardens. And on Saturday, 30 May 2009, the dedication ceremony and the unveiling of the Memorial Wall took place.

The highlights of the event saw the following:

- A real, live UH-1 Huey Vietnam-era (“slick”) helicopter arrived, landed, and then took off with several passengers from the audience. It made several take-offs and landings after the ceremony–one of which you will hear during the interview in this audio episode.

- Dana Bowman, parachute onto the grounds after skydiving from his jump from a helicopter. What is amazing is that Dana–a prior Special Forces Soldier and a paratrooper with the 82nd Airborne Division, as well as member of the U.S. Army’s elite GOLDEN KNIGHTS parachute team–lost both of his legs in a mid-air collision in 1994. However, with the artificial limbs, he still hit the target drop zone near the audience to begin the ceremony.

- The guest speaker was Joe Galloway, the author of the book, We Were Soldiers Once…and Young. Ia Drang–the Battle that Changed the War in Vietnam. This book later became a motion picture of the same title, starring Mel Gibson in 2002:

As you will hear in this audio podcast, we did get a chance to interview Joe Galloway after the ceremony.

- The ringing of the travelling and mobile Liberty Bell replica–a fitting mobile memorial dedicated to all those soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines that have fallen in the line of duty.

- And finally, the unveiling of the replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall, with all 58,260 names engraved. This Wall is in the location of what is called the “Museum Gardens,” as the landscaping will add to the honor and respect for this solemn memorial.

After the ceremony, we had a chance to speak with Joe Galloway and get his perspectives of the dedication of this monument. Amidst the background sounds of the “chop-chop” turning of the Huey’s rotor blades (a sound you will NEVER forget), Joe explains to us in this audio interview how much he honors the Combat Infantryman’s Badge, and what an honor it is to have earned it.

Now, although Joe was a civilian and correspondent during the Vietnam War, he is the ONLY civilian to have been awarded the Bronze Star, with “V” for VALOR, for what he did during the battle of Ia Drang in saving a soldier’s life. But you will hear him, as he states that the medal he most wishes that he could have is the CIB.

Joe is a noted author, now with the follow-on book, We Were Soldiers Still: A Journey Back to the Battlefields of Vietnam. He is also a public speaker at major events, as well as a supporter of the troops. His support and fervor agrees with the motto portrayed by the association of the Vietnam Veterans of America: “Never again shall one generation of Veterans abandon another.”

Our tribute to Mr. Galloway is to proclaim Joe’s mantra: “Hate War…but love the warrior.”

Thank you, Joe, for your service and for your support of the combat infantrymen–especially to those who have fallen.

23- The Battle for Grenada- The Army Reborn

Fred — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 14:59:02 +0000

In this episode of the H21 Southern Chapter, Austin-based Combat Infantrymen’s Association, we narrate for you the article that appeared in the 2009 Winter Edition of The Salute Newsletter (one that goes out to all Army veterans, regardless of MOS, campaign or service). This article deals with the multi-branch effort of the 1983 invasion and capture of Grenada, in which the Army played a vital role–especially with the Delta Force, the Rangers and the 82nd Airborne Division.

For the pdf document of that article, click here:

In what is commonly referred to as a “brushfire action” (very similar to what military historians refer to, as well, for the Panama invasion, known as “Operation Just Cause”), the operation in Grenada was the beginning of the steppingstones that would lead to better inter-operation and cooperation of the branches of the military to accomplish the overall mission from the Unites States high command–in this case, the President of the United States at that time, Ronald Reagan.

The Southern Branch Chapter, H20, of the Combat Infantrymen’s Association has contacted an individual who served as an infantryman during Operation Urgent Fury. We hope to have an interview with this CIB award-winner in the near future in another episode.

A salute to all the men who took part in the operation and put the US Army, and the rest of the military, back on the path to effectiveness–which would later pay off in big dividends during Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm.

14- Combat Infantrymen from Vietnam- plagued by PTSD triggers

Fred — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 14:22:49 +0000

In this episode of the H21 Austin, Texas, Chapter of the Combat Infantrymen’s Association, we share with you the complete and unabridged article about the current problems of the resurrection of PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) symptoms for the Vietnam Veterans– especially for the combat infantrymen. Thanks to the VFW Magazine for their article in the November, 2007, issue.

As you will see when you investigate this article, even some of the officers of the VFW (Veterans of Foreign Wars) organization are still haunted by the symptoms of PTSD, especially with the triggers caused by today’s environment, as well as the time they have on their hands as they retire.

However, as you will see, the VA does have recognition of the problem and treatment available for Vietnam Veterans. And for the Combat Infantrymen who earned their CIB (Combat Infantryman’s Badge) during this conflict, that badge is recognized as a “stressor” in the qualification and administrative requirements section for getting into the VA system for assistance.

13- CIB Reunion reminder – and local meeting on 2Aug2008

Fred — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 23:33:32 +0000

In this episode, we deliver 2 items of news to the local chapter:

(1) Notice of the chapter meeting scheduled for Saturday, 2 August 2008, at 18:00 hrs. at the meeting room of the complex located at 7707 IH-35 South, Austin, Texas 78744.

The topics to be discussed are given in the audio file of the podcast episode.

Please confirm your attendance with the Commander or XO. And, if you have any questions or need directions, please contact either:

Commander: Bobby Briscoe –

Telephone:
(512) 804-0789

Executive Officer: John Torres –Telephone: (210) 849-5732

(2) The second item discusses a reminder of the upcoming event, the Combat Infantrymen’s Association National Convention at the Academy Best Western Hotel, Colorado Springs, Colorado from October 9-12, 2008.

A brief synopsis of the agenda items for the days of the event–as well as registration details–are mentioned. We hope to have a good presence at this annual event of the organization. We also plan to propose some suggestions for this event, as well as the local chapter. Please plan on attending the meeting, as we will vote on these issues.

For more details and registration forms for the upcoming Combat Infantrymen’s Association National Conventionk please refer to pages 15 to 18 in the newsletter of The Blue Badge. If you wish to view the pdf document of the May, 2008, edition, then please click here:

Or you may go to the web site of the CIB Association and get all the issues availabale of the newsletter, including back issues, and especially the May, 2008, issue of the Blue Badge.

We will be posting another espisode during the week of August 4-8, with a summary of the meeting scheduled for 2 August 2008.